Jonah Ryan
Jonah Joy Ryan '''(born June 12, 1982) 'is an American politician who served as the 49th Vice President of the United States from 2021 until his impeachment partway through his term. He was the first and only Vice President to be impeached. Ryan grew up in New Hampshire and attended Granite State College. He worked as the White House liaison under President Stuart Hughes and later President Selina Meyer. In 2016, Ryan was chosen to be the Democratic nominee in a special congressional election in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district following the death of congressman Harry Sherman. Ryan won the election and was sworn-in in January 2017. During his tenure representing New Hampshire's 2nd district, Ryan was credited with forming a coalition of congresspeople known as the Jeffersons, who were able to torpedo a debt-ceiling bill, resulting in the 2018 government shutdown. He also led efforts to dismantle Daylight Savings Time, efforts which proved to be unsuccessful. In 2018, Ryan was removed from the ballot and replaced with his cousin Ezra Kane. In January 2019, Ryan announced he was running for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. His campaign has drawn significant controversy due to Ryan's outspoken language and targeting of what he considers "muslim math". Despite coming in third in the primaries overall, Ryan was selected to be the running mate to Selina Meyer. The Meyer-Ryan ticket would go on to win the election, and Ryan was sworn in as Vice President on January 20, 2021. Partway through Jonah's term as Vice President, he was impeached and removed from office. Jonah is portrayed by Timothy Simons. Description Jonah is, in a way, an honorary member of the Veep's team - although, as he is keen to point out, he actually works for The White House. One of his many roles is to act as a kind of liaison between the White House and the Vice President's office, shuttling messages back and forth. As Amy puts it: "You always know when Jonah's in the office - he totally changes the atmosphere. He just hits the place like a tornado." Early Life Personal Jonah was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but grew up in New Hampshire. His mother Nancy Ryan raised him as a single mother, and hid the fact that Lloyd Hennick was his true father, calling him only one of his three step-fathers. This was due to the fact that she and Herrick were second cousins, who had temporarily fled to Canada at the time of Jonah's birth due to stigma from their families. Professional In 2007, Jonah graduated from Granite State College with a degree in computer repair and public service management. In 2013, he joined the Hughes administration as an intern. Early political career Beginning in 2013, Jonah is working for the White House as a link between the President's office and the VP's office. He brags about how close he is to President Hughes. He, however, bumps heads with everyone in Selina's office, and it is later revealed that everyone in the West Wing hates him too. After Hughes, who is in Africa, comes down with a sickness and is temporarily incapacitated, Jonah begins being very respectful towards Selina, fearing she could be his boss. Jonah continues to get more involved in the VP's office, including going with Selina to various events, such as her daughter's 21st birthday party and a North Carolina Pig Roast. After learning Selina will be running for President in the 2016 election, Jonah continues to insert himself in her campaign. In the third season, Jonah is revealed to be the author of a political gossip blog (writing under the name "West Wing Man") where he posts embarrassing photos of the VP's team members and leaked news about the departure of the POTUS. He is subsequently fired by Kent and is humiliated by the rest of his co-workers on his way out of the building. Following his job loss and his hate towards Washington, Jonah begins a news site called Ryantology. One of his first stories is on Hughes reversing his stance on abortion and Selina's inability to come up with her own stance. He is invited to go on MSNBC, but is threatened by Dan not to say a word on the VP's office. He is also at the Annapolis event where Selina announced her campaign for president. As tension between Selina and Chung builds, Dan tells Jonah that there are rumors that Chung tortured people in Iraq. In the midst of this, Jonah is pleased to learn that Clovis wants to buy Ryantology, offering to pay him $4-6 million. Jonah publishes the story on Chung, damaging Chung's reputation, and Clovis later withdraws their offer to Jonah. Sometime after this, Ryantology is shut down. Jonah begins working for George Maddox, becoming his bagman, and later a "spy" for when Selina goes to London. He masterminds the handshake blunder in Detroit. At the primary debate, Maddox does poorly and comes in last place. His campaign lasts until January. The Chung torture rumors turn out to be false, and Dan needs Jonah to disavow the rumors publicly in return for a job in the West Wing. Jonah returns to his old job as White House Liaison between newly-appointed President Selina Meyer and Vice President Andrew Doyle. Richard Splett becomes Jonah's personal assistant. Jonah is repeatedly harassed by Doyle's chief of staff Teddy Sykes, with Teddy groping Jonah's testicles. Teddy is fired at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Jonah then becomes an advocate for men's health. In order to get the Families First Bill to fail, Selina sends Jonah and Richard out to lobby for the bill, knowing that they'll screw it up and actually get Congresspeople to vote against it. After one of the congresspeople realizes what the Meyer team is doing, the whole thing leads to a Congressional hearing. Jonah and Richard testify. When the election ends in a tie, Richard is made recount specialist, and Selina says that Jonah is working for Richard. Jonah then hires Cliff as his personal assistant to feel important. Jonah, Richard, Cliff, Amy, and Dan all head to Nevada to win Selina the recount. Jonah, Richard, and Cliff lead a "count the votes" protest as the recount deadline comes forward. However, after O'Brien takes the lead, they unknowingly continue protesting when Dan wants them to take the opposite side. 2016 congressional campaign After Congressman Harry Sherman abruptly dies, Jonah is chosen by his uncle to run against Sherman's widow, who was also his second grade teacher, for his congressional seat. Though Jonah takes this as an honour it is revealed he was only chosen because no one else is stupid enough to want to run against Sherman's widow for one term, after which Jonah's uncle wants to replace him with his war-hero cousin. Jonah's campaign is marked by repeated setbacks such as the fact that the electorate hates him and his abrasive interactions with the public are often videotaped and sent to the media. Jonah hits on the winning strategy of insulting Selina after she calls him and insults him for being incompetent. However, his short lived popularity declines in Congressional Ball after he is filmed yelling at Teddy Sykes calling him a monster. His opponents filmed his rant so that it looked as if he was yelling at Polly, a bowling alley employee with down syndrome. After a failed hunting publicity stunt where he literally shoots himself in the foot, Jonah begins to slip in the polls. In response to this blunder, his opponent Judy Sherman makes a fleeting comment about how guns can be unsafe. This comment results in the NRA launching a series of last minute attack ads against Sherman, enabling Jonah to win the election and take his place in the 115th United States Congress. He appoints Richard Splett as his chief of staff. U.S. House of Representatives (2017 - 2019) On January 2, 2017, Jonah is sworn in as U.S. Representative from New Hampshire's second congressional district in the 115th United States Congress. The morning of the congressional vote for the presidency on January 3, he wakes up late, in the home of a high school student after having a one-night stand. Though he is ultimately able to get to congress and vote for Selina to become president, by that time her plan has changed and she wanted him to vote for O'Brien. In what is deemed to be a mistake by Roger Furlong, Jonah hires a staff of male interns that are much more attractive than he is. Instead of acting professional in his position of power, Jonah acts like one of the "bros". After a game of office basketball leads to an intense pain in his crotch, Jonah is diagnosed with testicular cancer. He later underwent six weeks of chemotherapy and had one of his cancerous testicles removed. In January 2018, Jonah is still in Congress and speaking out against "The Healthy School Lunch Act", believing kids should be able to eat unhealthy junk food if they want. Jonah later meets with Private Prison magnate Sherman Tanz. Despite not making a good first impression, Tanz is impressed when Jonah speaks out against Daylight Saving Time, and invests $5 million into Jonah, providing him with a new and improved staff who aid in writing legislation for him. At an event hosted by Tanz, Jonah meets Shawnee Tanz. Despite initially mistaking her for her fathers wife, the two later go back to his office and have sex. Afterwards, she begins picking his outfits, telling him how to vote on bills, and polishing his image for the public. When Jonah states that he would like to go to now House Minority Leader Roger Furlong's house for dinner in exchange for him supporting Roger's airport bill, Shawnee comes along, declaring that they're engaged, and telling Jonah to pick up the ring that night. At Roger's house, Shawnee is able to corner Roger into getting Jonah a new office. Now engaged to Shawnee, Jonah begins to undergo the process of converting to Judaism so he can marry her. Jonah later forms an alliance with several congresspeople from the New England area, who brand themselves as 'the Jeffersons'. When he is not invited to the Meyer portrait unveiling, he and the Jeffersons decide to vote against a bill to raise the debt ceiling, shutting down the government. The shutdown lasts for 25 days, and ultimately hurts Jonah in the polls. With the people of New Hampshire turning against him after the shutdown, Jonah faces an uphill battle as he runs for re-election in the 2018 midterms against an opponent named Di Vicentis. As he recovers from a circumcision operation, Jonah's uncle Jeff Kane arrives to tell him that he's replacing Jonah on the ballot with his cousin, Ezra Kane. Immediately after hearing this, Shawnee calls off their engagement and dumps him. In a desperate attempt to secure his place in politics, Jonah meets with Sherman Tanz, who tells him that despite his fondness for Jonah he is now only buying Senators and Presidents to create "reasonable change". 2020 presidential campaign ''See also: Jonah Ryan presidential campaign, 2020 Jonah announced his candidacy for President in the 2020 presidential election at a campaign rally in New Hampshire in January 2019. Members of his campaign team include Teddy Sykes and Bill Ericsson. Sometime afterwards, his grandfather passed away, where he met his former stepsister Beth Hennick. The two would reconnect and get married two months later. I n March 2019, at a campaign event in New Hampshire, Jonah claims he's skipping Iowa, but not because his poll numbers are low there. He allows his new wife to speak, but Teddy and Bill are horrified to learn that they were at one point step-siblings. Jonah is interviewed by Jane McCabe with his wife and mother, but is blindsided by the appearance of his stepfather, resulting in a televised squabble. At the Waterloo county fair in Iowa, Jonah uses the word retard multiple times to a reporter. Teddy urges him into PR training. The training goes badly as Jonah does not understand why he should not use offensive words. However, he manages to irritate both of his coaches and ends up being sued. Jonah is invited to attend the undercard primary debate on May 18, 2019, because he is polling less than five percent nationally. At the debate, Jonah faces off against Clarence Clark and Lord Wolfsbane, a protest candidate, among others. During the debate, Jonah is able to draw controversy after people see he has slurs written on his hands--slurs he wrote down so he "wouldn't say them". Vice Presidency (2021 - ???) Jonah was selected as President Selina Meyer's running mate, solidifying the delegates needed for her to become their party's primary candidate. He becomes Vice President after Selina wins the election and His tenure as Vice President began on January 20, 2021. In his first few days as Vice President, Selina seems to already be giving Jonah the treatment Hughes gave her by preventing his access to the oval office and setting him up with an office in the Eisenhower Building. Sometime during his Vice Presidency, Jonah was impeached and removed from office. In an interview with GoldDerby, Timothy Simons said he has no idea what Jonah would have been impeached for, but that Selina probably would have been actively encouraging his impeachment behind closed doors. Post-Vice Presidency In the decades following his impeachment, Jonah would continue to be married to Beth and live in his mother's house in New Hampshire. In 2044/45, Jonah was not among those invited to attend the funeral of Selina Meyer. Trivia * In the pilot script, Jonah is intended to be a heavy drinker and heavy smoker. * Jonah is fructose intolerant, which is very rare. See also * Jonah Ryan presidential campaign, 2020 Gallery Episode-28-01-1920.jpg Episode-27-06-1920.jpg Episode-09-01-1920.jpg Episode-25-07-1920.jpg Offices and distinctions Category:Characters Category:Representatives Category:Democrats